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Top Tips for Immunity

Aloe Vera|Aromatherapy|Reflexology|Bach Flower Remedies|Nutrition|Chiropractic|Homeopathy|Reiki
  • Feeling under the weather?
  • Reoccurring cold & flu symptoms?
  • Feeling sluggish or lethargic?

If the answer to any of these is ‘yes’ it is likely that your immune system is under pressure.

Our therapists can each adapt their own treatments to focus on boosting immune system in a natural way, treating holistically - taking into consideration any existing medical/lifestyle factors that are likely to be affecting you.

See below for brief introductions from our therapists, and feel free to contact us for more information from the links on the right.

  • Aloe Vera – Aloe Vera can strengthen your immune system. Forever Aloe Vera Gel provides 19 of the 20 amino acids needed by the human body. The result is a wonderful feeling of wellbeing which tends to go with an improved ability to withstand and even flight illness. Another amazing product is Bee Propolis. Propolis is a natural antibiotic that helps with the symptoms of coughs, colds, flu and respiratory problems

  • Aromatherapy – Aromatherapy Massages combine the therapeutic properties of aromatic Essential Oils with the therapeutic effects of Massage.  Regular Aromatherapy Massages throughout this season are a wonderful enjoyable way to boost your well being and helping to cope with seasonal blues, which then has a positive knock on effect on your health, helping to keep your body at optimum health and preventing cold & flu symptoms.  Oils can then continue to be used at home e.g. in bath blends, to prolong the effects of the treatment.

    Essential Oils will be selected for each individual, considering overall health and stress factors, for their anti–infectious, anti-bacterial properties, and their unique energetic properties e.g;

    • decongestant effects of Eucalyptus and Niaouli to strengthen the lungs and improve breathing
      M      arjoram or Rosemary for muscular aching,
    • immune boosting effects of Pine for a weakened/afflicted immune system (or weak defensive Qi) and to help clear catarrh,
    • Lavender to aid relaxation and combat stress

  • Reflexology – Working on specific reflex points on the feet, or hands, is a relaxing, beneficial way to stimulate the Respiratory, Circulatory and Lymphatic systems to rid waste produces and toxins from the body thus enabling the body to restore its natural effective functioning.

    Specifically, stimulating the Nose, Sinus and Throat reflexes helps to ease tension and congestion from these areas, working on the Lung reflexes helps to bring about deeper more effective breathing and working on Adrenal reflexes helps to boost the immune system which is easily afflicted under stress.

    Regular sessions of reflexology throughout the year especially through the winter months will help to keep a healthy functioning body.

  • Bach Flower Remedies  
    Give your immune system a break and support your emotions with flower remedies.

    The Bach Flower Remedies are 38 plant and flower based remedies that can help us get our emotions back into positive balance and this in turn lets our bodies return to their natural state of health.
    If our body is having to deal with emotional upsets, such as stress, unhappiness, fear or anger, this places more stress on our immune system. It has to deal with both the emotional feelings and the physical expression of them. The body can then become depleted of energy and vulnerable to infection.

    The preventative use of Bach Flower Remedies helps us to stay in balance so that disease is less likely to strike. Take Mimulus for fear of known things, such as flying, Elm when feeling overwhelmed, Olive for mental and physical exhaustion and of course Rescue Remedy for panic attacks or before a nerve-wracking event such as a driving test.
     
  • Nutritional Advice - Your immune system is dependant on an optimal intake of vitamins and minerals.  A deficiency of any number of nutrients, such as the anti-oxidant vitamin A, could leave you vulnerable to viral infections and antibody production is dependant on sufficient vitamin B6 intake.

    Another vital nutrient is protein as immune cells are made from protein and I have seen a number of clients where protein intake is low and immune function has been compromised, most probably as a result of this. 

    Great ways to boost your nutrient intake during the winter is to make or buy fresh soups as they are full of vegetables.  Juicing is another great way of obtaining fruit and vegetables (although the benefits of the fibre have been taken out).  If you do not eat meat, eggs or fish, then special care needs to be taken to ensure you are obtaining sufficient protein from vegetable sources, such as beans, nuts and seeds.

    Taking supplements is also a great way of ensuring adequate nutrients to help fight infections. 

    Ensuring your diet and supplement programme is the best it can be will help boost your immune system and help you fight infections and shouldn’t be overlooked as the well known saying “you are what you eat” is truer than you think!

  • Chiropractic - The immune system protects us from the flu, as well as any other infectious disease, and strives to get us well again when we do fall ill.  Ample literature supports the successes of chiropractic with infectious disease. For instance, a study published in 2000, from the Anglo‑European College of Chiropractic, showed chiropractic adjustments lead to increased serum IgM levels, an indicator of immune function.

    Another studyspecifically showed enhanced polymorphnuclear neutrophils (PMN) and monocytes in adults, the ‘Pac-Man’ cells in the body that eat and destroy bad cells, are enhanced through chiropractic care ¹.

    In 1919, Palmer published "The Flu and You." The ratio of flu cases cared for versus deaths were as follows: Medical care: 1 out of 17 died. Osteopathic care: 1 out of 36 died. Chiropractic care: 1 out of 886.

    One of the most important studies showing the positive effect chiropractic care can have on the immune system and general health was performed by Ronald Pero, Ph.D., chief of cancer prevention research at New York's Preventive Medicine Institute and professor of medicine at New York University. Dr. Pero measured the immune systems of people under chiropractic care as compared to those in the general population and those with cancer and other serious diseases. In his initial three-year study of 107 individuals who had been under chiropractic care for five years or more, the chiropractic patients were found to have a 200% greater immune competence than people who had not received chiropractic care, and 400% greater immune competence than people with cancer and other serious diseases. The immune system superiority of those under chiropractic care did not diminish with age².

    Another important study was performed at Sid E. Williams Research Centre where the researchers took a group of HIV positive patients and adjusted them over a six-month period. The “patients that were adjusted had an increase of forty-eight percent (48%) in the CD4 cells (an important immune system component).” The control group (the patients that were not adjusted) did not demonstrate this dramatic increase in immune function, but actually experienced a 7.96% decrease in CD4 cell counts over the same period³.

    Keeping your spine health under chiropractic care is one of the best ways of keeping your immune system functioning at its optimal capacity.
    When was your last chiropractic adjustment?

1 Brennan P, Graham M, Triano J, Hondras M.( "Enhanced phagocytic cell respiratory bursts induced by spinal manipulation: Potential Role of Substance P." J Manip Physiolog Ther 1991; (14)7:399-400

2 Pero R. "Medical Researcher Excited By CBSRF Project Results." The Chiropractic Journal, August 1989; 32

3 Selano JL, Hightower BC, Pfleger B, Feeley-Collins K, Grostic JD. "The Effects of Specific Upper Cervical Adjustments on the CD4 Counts of HIV Positive Patients." The Chiro Research Journal; 3(1); 1994).

  • Homeopathy – Knocked out by the Norovirus? Recurrent colds? Feeling sluggish and tired? Poor skin condition? Adapting to the changing weather and shorter days can all impact on your general health and some people are affected worse than others.

    Homeopathy can help.

    By stimulating and cleansing the vital organs, Homeopathic treatment can lift and raise your spirits, energy levels and boost up your immune system.

  • Reiki - Reiki is another very effective treatment, which can support your immune system. During a Reiki treatment you will experience a deep sense of relaxation where you can be calm and at peace from the usual busyness of life. Benefits include stress reduction, improved sleep ,which in turn accelerates the healing of physical problems in the body and restores balance. Over a number of treatments clients notice an increasing awareness of their wellbeing. They begin to pick up on the first signs of stress before it becomes a physical or emotional problem and this has positive repercussions for all areas of their life. Our immune system can then concentrate on protecting the body from infection.

    Reiki can also support those who are seriously ill and whose immune system’s are depleted or working at full capacity to deal with the problem. It can work alongside chemotherapy to support body and mind through a difficult illness.

 

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